It's NOT a Date
by Crescenta
Summary: "This isn't a date." -Tsurugi, Aoi


**It's NOT a Date**

It's a fine Sunday afternoon here in Inazuma Town. The sky is blue and clear with small clouds here and there. The birds are chirping and the sun is at its highest. Sunday is a free day for our Raimon Eleven members. Here, they can do whatever they please. They can go fishing, bike riding, and even sumo wrestling if they want to. For now, we follow the plans a certain navy blue haired first year has for today.

Tsurugi leaned on the outside wall of the school, meddling with his phone. He was wearing an orange t-shirt underneath a white collar jacket; he also had brown pants and red sneakers. He seemed to be waiting for something, as he did not move from his place for a while.

"Tsurugi-kun!" he stops with what he's doing and looks left to see someone coming towards him. She had short dark blue hair and her eyes shined a light blue. Aoi was wearing a light blue summer dress and sandals. She ceased running when she was close enough. "Hey."

"Hn."

"Wow, this is the first time I've ever seen you wear something else today. You look nice." Aoi compliments with a smile.

"Let's get this over with." Tsurugi crosses his arms, ignoring the compliment. Aoi pouts at this.

"That's rude, but alright. Let's go." Getting over it pretty quickly, she goes by his side and the pair starts to walk their way to where they planned on going.

* * *

Their walk was quiet. Aoi wanted to at least say something to break the ice but kept deciding not to, considering that Tsurugi would either;

1) Shoot the topic down or;

2) Ignore it

So all the young girl did was sigh a bunch of times as they walked, receiving a glance from her taller companion from time to time.

* * *

They soon arrive at a Café in town, a rather popular one at that. They enter to be greeted by workers and then lead to a table of two. The two were given their own menus to look over what they wanted to order for the day. Tsurugi stopped observing the meals he would be able to have to look at the girl in front of him. He then turned his head to his right and left to see only a bunch of other couples eating lunch together and looking… happy.

He felt like puking.

'_Wait a minute. Why am I doing this again?' _Tsurugi thinks back to two days ago, Friday.

* * *

_Tsurugi walked out of the school, hands in his pockets and without a care in the world. As usual, he was wearing his casual clothes and not the supposed Raimon Uniform. People called him a rebel but for some odd reason Midori would defend him, saying that he was just trying to be original. She was probably doing this because she herself is what seems to be a 'rebel' since she refuses to wear the ribbon for the female students. Tsurugi doesn't think her ribbon and his casuals are the same at all but he chooses not to say so out loud just so he won't be caught into a bothering argument with the girl._

"_Tsurugi-kun!" he stops from his tracks and turns around, watching as his fellow first year goes up to him. _

"_What." He asks almost immediately once Aoi is close enough for the two of them to speak in their normal voices instead of resulting to the use of shouting. Aoi then places her hands behind her back and looks down nervously._

"_I, uh, could you do me a BIG favor?" she raises her head to look at him, a hint of red in her cheeks. Tsurugi found that fact uninteresting and unimportant. So why did he notice it?_

"_Does it involve a life-and-death situation or something about the team and soccer." He looks at her quite seriously but Aoi doesn't seem to be fazed by this._

"_Oh. Uh… neither. The favor I'm asking is personal." Once she says this, Tsurugi turns around and starts to walk away._

"_Wait!" Aoi takes a big step and grabs Tsurugi's arm, "It's really important and it would really mean a lot to me if you'd do it."_

_Tsurugi stared at her and Aoi stared back. Aoi smiles successfully when she could hear him sigh silently._

"…_fine. I'm giving you this one chance. Maybe I'll do it." He gently removes Aoi's hold on him and crosses his arms as Aoi twirls around to rejoice._

"_Thank you, Tsurugi-kun! Would you go out on a date with me?"_

_._

_._

_._

_That's when Tsurugi started walking away again._

"_W-what… where are you going?"_

"_Anywhere but here." Not ready to give up hope Aoi runs towards him and grabs his arm again, this time her hold was much tighter than before. Tsurugi turned to her again and met a couple of pleading eyes._

"_C-can't you reconsider?" she asked._

"_Why on earth do you want me to go out with you." _

"_Because I want to know what it's like! I asked Midori-san but she's never been on a date and Akane-san's hang-outs with Captain and Kirino-senpai don't exactly count." Aoi just thought to herself about that last part because, even though the three looked great being a triad Aoi just doesn't think you can call what they're doing 'dates' because a date should consist of only two people. Right? _

"_Then get a boyfriend." Tsurugi shrugged, saying whatever he thinks would get him out of this annoying situation. _

_Aoi blushes upon hearing that certain word. "I-it's not as easy as it looks! B-besides… I don't think I'm ready for one yet…"_

"_Then ask Matsukaze or Nishizono or somebody who's not me."_

"_I can't."_

"_And why?" Tsurugi sighs with much irritation. _

"_Because if I went out with Tenma then it'd be the same as hanging out with him every day. The same goes for everyone else!" Aoi defends herself. Her reasons were perfectly fine, anyway. Tenma was her best friend and the two of them were always together. And since Shinsuke was also Tenma's best friend then it would be the same as well. She's on really good terms with everyone else on the team. Yes, they do not hang out all the time but she just got this odd feeling that maybe Tsurugi would make it different. _

_She's got to find out what in blazes was that odd feeling thinking._

"_I don't care. I'm not going to do it." _

"_B-but I-I…" Aoi looked around. Crap, she's running out. She never thought that she'd actually run out. She needed to come up with something and fast before Tsurugi lost total interest in the favor. She's hanging by a thread. Then, Aoi realized something and decided to put on a determined face to go on with the plan in her head. "Tsurugi-kun, if you do not accept then I will have no choice but to use my secret weapon."_

_Tsurugi rolls his eyes. Secret weapon? Is she trying to __**threaten **__the great Tsurugi Kyousuke? That is highly impossible but because it is he would actually like to see her try. Suddenly Aoi's eyes start to water._

_After a few seconds she starts to actually CRY._

_And when some students who were about to go home stop in their tracks and stare, he knows this is bad._

"_How mean."_

"_That guy's a cold-hearted bastard."_

"_He made her cry…"_

"_How can he just stand there?"_

"…" _silently he listens to all those mumbles and accusations of him being a 'mean-cold-hearted-bastard-that-made-a-girl-cry-an d-does-squat-nothing-about-it'. He felt his face slightly, and I mean very slightly, warm up with embarrassment. He moves a bit closer to Aoi and whispers something quietly. "A-alright… I'll do it… just stop crying."_

_Aoi looks at him with all her tears completely dried up as she smiles, "Great!" Tsurugi grunts. "So, we'll meet here at the gate of Raimon. Sunday at 1:30 p.m."_

"_Whatever." Well that's one day lost into doing something absolutely unnecessary. He may not look it but Tsurugi is a very busy man. Busy visiting his brother in the Hospital and… well, he's busy!_

"_Thank you, Tsurugi-kun."_

* * *

'_Oh yeah. That.' _He grunts at the remembrance. Aoi glances up from her menu to look at him, but her eyes couldn't be read. A waitress with dark brown hair tied up into a high ponytail and a uniform that matches all the other workers walks up to them carrying a small notepad and a pen.

"Hello my name is Shika and I will be your waitress this afternoon. May I take your order?" she puts on her smile.

"Uhm, yes. I'll just have green tea please." Aoi says after placing her menu down on the table. Shika lists it down.

"One green tea. And you, sir?"

"Green tea and two salads."

"Another green tea and two orders of salads. I will be back in a moment to bring over your food." She lists it down as well, her smile lingering as she gives them a respectful bow and goes on her way to have their order made.

"Wow, you sure have a big appetite today." Aoi teases a bit, placing her elbow on the table and resting her head on the palm of her hand. Tsurugi seems uninterested, as always.

"The other salad is for you." He says simply.

"For… me?" she could feel her face heat up a bit. "But I don't want a salad."

"We're eating lunch. Not having a snack." He says matter-of-factly. Aoi pouts and then looks through her purse.

"Tsurugi-kun, I don't have enough money for a salad. How am I going to—"

"I'll pay for it." She stopped and stared at him. Tsurugi kept the plain expression on his face.

"What? That's not fair." It really wasn't. Aoi had brought with her money that she was actually going to use. She didn't want it to get stolen. Not that it'd get stolen. She had Tsurugi with her. And if by some chance a purse snatcher did steal her purse then Tsurugi would chase after him. Right? Wait. Why was she talking about Tsurugi and a possible snatching? Aoi snapped out of her thinking and stared at Tsurugi, awaiting his answer.

"…"

"You're not going to change your mind, are you?"

He crosses his arms.

Aoi doesn't want to get into an argument so she just sits back and sighs deeply, admitting defeat to his stubbornness for now. She stares at the single rose on the thin white voice that was on their table. She fiddles it with her finger out of boredom then glanced at her companion to see him observe her quietly.

"So, anything new lately?" now's not the time to be so glum, she has to be her own peppy Aoi self so Tsurugi wouldn't find her dull and leave. Wait, why was she so concerned about him leaving? She shakes her head again to snap out of it. Man, she has got to stop thinking their odd thoughts.

"This isn't a date." He replies at once and looks sternly at her.

"I know, I know. I'm just making conversation." She finds it odd that he'd say it wasn't a date and she'd agree with him because the only reason their doing this is for her to find out what a date is like. Huh.

Shika returns to them with a smile that was a bit apologetic, "I'm sorry sir but a lot of people have been ordering our salad lately. I'm afraid we are only able to make just one." And because she says this Aoi perks up.

"Oh, it's okay. I didn't plan on eating one anyway." Aoi smiles sweetly at the waitress and that reassures the latter. Tsurugi seems disappointed from the way he narrows his eyes. He does not leave his gaze from the blue-eyed girl.

"Bring the salad and an extra fork."

"Right away sir." Shika leaves once receiving the request, although it sounds more of an order instead. Aoi watches her leave, a rather puzzled look that leaves her speechless on her face. She turns to Tsurugi.

"…what do you think you're doing?" she asks in the same tone as if he'd just murdered a small animal.

"You're going to eat that salad." He grabs the white table napkin on the side and places it on his lap then looked at her all disciplinary-like, "Even if we have to share."

Shika returns with a tray in her hand and the same smile.

"Green teas for the lady and gentlemen," she places the two teacups down for the pair, "As well as one order of salad with two forks at the ready." Shika gives them both a bow, wishes them a pleasant meal then leaves to another table.

"…"

"…"

"What are you staring at me for…?" Aoi leans her back to her chair and riveted at him, very much peeved at the moment.

But he does not stop. He makes a swift glimpse at the salad before them but makes sure that Aoi notices him do so. And she did, and she's still peeved.

"I am not going to eat that." She crosses her arms and looks intent with her own decision.

"Then I won't either. We'll both be stuck here until you do." She really hates it when he's always got her cornered. She doesn't have any other plans and because of that she can't just walk out. Plus, it's rude. So she grunts loudly to make a point and grabs one of the forks. Using it, she gets a small part of the salad and props it into her mouth.

"Happy?" sarcastically she says. Tsurugi nods and gets his fork to start eating as well.

* * *

She doesn't know why but she's not entirely mad at him.

She _should_ be mad but for some odd reason she just can't stay like that. Whether he knows it or not, he's being thoughtful and nice and Aoi appreciates that. Usually he's never this way. She's not saying it's a bad thing; it's a very good thing. It's great to know that Tsurugi really cares about other people too, not just soccer or his brother.

Eating the salad in silence was awkward in so many ways. She wanted to say something, but again she finds it going to be futile in the end. She keeps looking at him though, glancing occasionally when she'd get the chance to. It's actually really, really, nice being with him.

She finds him sweet.

* * *

The salad has been consumed completely and the two of them are now finishing up their teas. Tsurugi raises his hand up to catch a waiter's attention.

"Bill please."

Aoi starts to prepare her purse, "So my share is probably around a 100¥ right…"

"What are you doing?"

She stops what she's doing and looks up to face him. "Well, since you won't _let _me help pay for the salad I'm paying for my own tea." In which afterwards Tsurugi has showed a faint hint of a frown.

"I'm paying for everything."

"But Tsurugi-kun, this isn't a date." Aoi says, repeating the four words she's heard almost a thousand times today than she has her whole life, maybe.

"I know. So?" he tried to find out what her point was a wad of bills already in his hand. Aoi grunts, having to have to explain this to _him _of all people.

"So…" she said, tapping her fingers on the table. "The guy doesn't have to pay for everything." he nodded his head, showing as if he did understand. Aoi sighed again and was about to place her share of the meal on the small black tray Shika had placed on their table just a moment ago when suddenly Tsurugi spoke up, slightly smirking.

"Too late."

And just out of the blue, he places his wad of money unto the tray, got Aoi's share and shoved it back in her purse, which was left open a bit. The girl was about to object to his actions but he grabbed her wrist to pull her up and practically dragged her out of the Café, ignoring the stares from the other customers as Aoi flailed around, failing to get out of his vice grip.

* * *

They stood outside now, and that's when Tsurugi let her go. She thought about going back inside to pay her share but then in retrospect it would be a tad bit embarrassing making a scene like that. So she stood with Tsurugi, staring at particularly nothing. Then she let out a heavy grunt, crossed her arms, turned away, and frowned.

"This wasn't what I expected for a date. Okay, I know it's not a real date. Geez, I literally wonder how much we've said that. It's not a date. It's just weird of me to even ask you this just because I don't how a date even _goes _and then we're all treating it like it's not a date and it's sort of hypercritic in its own way and—" she stopped talking when she saw Tsurugi start to walk, so she followed him, continuing her rant and speech until he stops walking after a few steps, almost making her bump into his back. She stepped back a bit when he decided to turn and face her.

She raises her eyebrow at him. "What?"

"It's over now. Go home." he says simply, hands in pockets. She stared blankly for a moment before responding.

"No."

He scoffs and raises his eyebrow at her in turn. "No?"

"Listen, you owe me a lot. The least you could do is let me follow you. I'm… really upset." she pouted, thinking that maybe that last word wasn't the best to describe her feeling. Or not, she's feeling really complicated at the moment.

"Chatty for someone who's upset." she shot him a glare and he let out a frustrated sigh before he turns to the initial direction again. "Fine."

They walk in complete silence. Tsurugi leads the way, staying ahead of her, while Aoi follows right behind him, not even thinking of walking by his side. She thought of the awkwardness. Yes, she agrees to the fact that their positions at the moment were awkward already but it can get even more than that, right? She stares at the ground and her feet, playing a little game for herself by follow Tsurugi's every step and almost trying to step on the heels of his shoes, but never actually doing it. Sooner or later they reach a road intersection and they both stop. Directly in front of them was a pedestrian crossing. Tsurugi turned to look at the left and right roads to see if there were incoming cars. When he concluded not a lot would pass through and it'd be safe to cross, he reaches out behind him and grabs hold of Aoi's hand. The girl shivers at his touch, her whole body trembling for a split second of surprise.

"Wh-wha-wh-wha…" she sputters, her hand hanging loosely in his unusually soft and gentle hold.

"Stay close." he says, not looking at her. He starts to cross the road, pulling Aoi with him and beside him. When they reach the other side of the road he immediately lets go of her hand. She holds the hand he held, rubbing it slightly with her other.

"Wh-what was that for…?" she asks, cheeks warming up.

"Your hand was cold."

"What?" he doesn't say anything after that, and doesn't even make contact. He instead stands for a minute, staring at particularly nothing then begins to walk rather quickly, almost leaving her completely.

"H-hey! Wait!" Aoi snaps out of it and hurries up to catch up with him, still very confused about what just happed a moment ago there, and wondering why Tsurugi acted so out of character.

* * *

They later arrive at the General Hospital, much to Aoi's surprise. She wondered why he was here at first. Wondering if he had any sicknesses and others and thinking that maybe she shouldn't have followed him after lunch. She wanted to tell him that she should go and not bother him but couldn't work up the nerve to do so and reluctantly continue to follow him instead until he stopped at a room.

He glances at her for a moment then knocks at the door before sliding the door open and taking a step in, his hand still resting at the side of the door. A young man wearing hospital clothes and who looked much like Tsurugi sat on the bed, a blanket draped over his legs. He looks up and smiles at him.

"Ah, good afternoon Kyousuke." he greets, Tsurugi nodding. Aoi peeks from behind Tsurugi, looking around the room until she looks at the person currently occupying it, who notices her.

"Oh? Who do we have here?" he continues to smile, trying not to frighten and seemingly frightened girl. Aoi steps in, and passes Tsurugi who remains in the doorway.

"U-uh... my name is Sorano Aoi." she bows to be respectful.

"Why hello. I'm Tsurugi Yuuichi, Kyousuke's older brother."

She stands up straight, a genuinely surprised look on her face. "What? Tsurugi-kun has an older brother?" her mouth was shaped like a small 'o' to further show her surprise.

"Yes. Unfortunately Kyousuke isn't one who boasts about his Oniichan, unlike other siblings." Yuuichi placed a hand to his face and sighed. Then he smiled sweetly to the girl. "Anyway, what brings you here, Aoi-chan? And why are you with Kyousuke?"

"Oh. Tsurugi-kun and I had lunch together," the older brother glanced knowingly to the one who didn't move from his spot, "shared a salad and generally argued because he was so stubborn."

"Ah, I know what you mean." then he waved his hand around, sighing and gesturing her to sit on the bet with him. Aoi did as she was told. "He's been like that ever since we were just kids."

"I acknowledge the fact that you were able to put up with him all these years, Yuuichi-san"

"You'll get used to it soon enough. It grows on you." Then he smiled but Tsurugi knew what his brother was thinking and started to regret not stopping Aoi or shooing her away after their so called 'date'. "So how did you two meet?" Tsurugi started screaming angry remarks inside of his head.

"I'm a manager in the Raimon Eleven soccer team. We met each other on the first day of school." Aoi answered, not quite understanding the true intention of the question the seventeen year old has asked.

"That is just nice." Yuuichi turned to his brother, his smile teasing yet proud at the same time. Tsurugi swore his smile was slowly turning into a smirk. "Wow Kyousuke, you've really got yourself a keeper."

"What? A Keeper?" Aoi misinterpreted the idea by thinking Yuuichi meant Goalkeeper. She was very oblivious but she was very much delighted about it though. She's always wanted to try being a goalkeeper but had second thoughts whether someone would actually approve of what she'd think. What Yuuichi had said to her completed her unusual day. "Did you hear that, Tsurugi-kun? Yuuichi-san said I was a Keeper!"

And Tsurugi was left speechless.

* * *

**THERE YOU GO! It's done! Another TsuruAoi story for your reading pleasure. These two seriously deserve more attention and love!**

**If you've read the previous story I posted only hours ago, **_**Shooting Star**_**, then this would serve as some kind of prequel to that. This was fun to do, and I can finally take it off the list of stories in my profile! Now to get back to writing my OT3.**

**As usual, that will take a while. But good thing I'm got the draft down already!**


End file.
